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Saturday

Nov 30, 2013 at 12:01 AM

HAYS - The Fort Hays State University Foundation has announced that Denis Miller has filled the role of chair for its Board of Trustees.

Miller is a 1973 FHSU graduate with a bachelor's degree in accounting. In 2009, he received the Nita M. Landrum Alumni Award at FHSU for sustained volunteer service to both the university and the community.

Miller is a partner at Mapes and Miller CPAs, which is a Kansas firm of Certified Public Accountants with offices in Norton, Phillipsburg, Stockton, Quinter and WaKeeney. He is a past chairman for the Kansas Society of CPAs and continues to keep busy with a wide variety of organizations, private foundations and church activities.

The Fort Hays State University Foundation is an independent, nonprofit corporation designated by the state of Kansas to receive gifts on behalf of the university.

Robin Schmitt, City Clerk of Nickerson, and Celyn Hurtado, with the city of Garden City, completed the third year of the 2013 Municipal Clerks Certification Institute Nov. 11-15 in Wichita. The four-year certification program is sponsored by the Center for Urban Studies, Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs, Wichita State University and the City Clerks and Municipal Finance Officers Association of Kansas.

The Certification Institute provides 120 hours of instruction and is accredited by the International Institute of Municipal Clerks. Participants receive theoretical and practical instruction in public administration, leadership, interpersonal and technical skills. The program aids municipal clerks and finance officers in improving job performance and recognizes the professionalism of their office.

Upon graduation, participants may apply the institute training hours toward qualifying to become a "Certified Municipal Clerk" with the International Institute of Municipal Clerks (IIMC), a professional association of more than 10,000 members.

The Hutchinson Board of Realtors celebrated several members' accomplishments, installed its 2014 board of directors, and presented the food bank with a donation at its annual installation banquet.

The board decided to contribute receipts from ticket sales for the banquet to help the food bank with its recent shortage. The annual event drew nearly 150 members and guests to the Hutchinson Town Club, resulting in a donation of more than $2,000 to the food bank.

Nancy Fure, owner of Nancy Fure Realty, was honored as 2013 Realtor of the Year. The Realtor of the Year is selected from the membership for their service to the association and the community.

In addition, members celebrated with Ralph "Doc" Gingerich, an agent and auctioneer at R.E.I.B., who was honored by the National Association of Realtors with the Emeritus status for being a continuous member for 40 years.

Jason Ball, CEO/president of the Hutchinson Reno County Chamber of Commerce, was the keynote speaker for the evening. He presented the members with an update of chamber efforts on economic development issues.

Don Sketchley, FIC with Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, has been awarded the professional designation of Certified in Long-Term Care (CLTC). The program is independent of the insurance industry and focuses on providing financial service professionals the tools needed to meet their client's long-term care needs.

The Certified in Long-Term Care program is the long-term-care insurance industry's only independent professional designation. Created in 1999, the course is focused on the field of long-term-care planning and provides legal, accounting, insurance and financial service professionals the critical tools necessary to address the subject matter with their middle-age clients.

The goal of the designation is to teach financial professionals how to create a plan that preserves the emotional, physical and financial well-being of a client's family should care be necessary. Once established, options to fund that plan, including, Medicare, Medicaid, the Veterans Administration, self-funding and long-term care insurance, are reviewed and recommended where appropriate.

Participants are provided the information and training needed to offer guidance to families on a range of issues including home care, assisted living, nursing homes, social services and, most importantly, establishing a plan for what will pay for these resources. Ensuring that retirement assets are protected is a primary focus of long-term-care conversations, and a long-term-care plan of action should be a part of every retirement strategy.

Sketchley's office is at 3500 Arrowhead Drive in Hutchinson and can be reached at (620) 665-5987.

Hutchinson community leader Molly McVicker has been selected for a new three-year term with the board of directors of the Kansas Society for Children with Challenges. The KSCC was established in 1925.

Kevin Chiles has been named vice president of human resources for Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System.

Chiles earned an undergraduate degree in Psychology and a master's degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology at Emporia State University.

In 2000, Chiles joined Ryan International Airlines for a four-year stint as director of human resources for an employee group totaling 1,700, including pilots, flight attendants, mechanics and support personnel. Chiles then joined Via Christi Clinic Services in 2004 as director of human resources. Eight years later, in 2012, Chiles was named vice president of human resources for Via Christi Health, which included responsibility for HR functions at five hospitals within the system and 27 outpatient clinics with a total employment of 6,200 including 225 physicians.

Most recently, Chiles served as vice president and director of human resources at IMA Financial Group in Wichita and oversaw the organization's HR activities in three other cities, including Denver, Dallas and Kansas City.

Chiles replaces Julie Ward, R.N., M.S.N., who has accepted the position of vice president of patient care services at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center. During the past eight months, Ward has served in dual positions in patient care services and human resources.

Kevin Miller, F.A.C.H.E., president and CEO of Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System, said the human resources position is a very challenging job for an organization that employs more than 1,400 health-care professionals.

Hutchinson attorney Matthew Bretz was selected by his peers to be included in the 2014 edition of The Best Lawyers in America for his work in the practice area of Personal Injury Litigation-Plaintiffs.

Bretz, a native of Hutchinson, received a B.S. from Kansas State University, where he taught both classical and contemporary physics. He graduated from Pepperdine University School of Law, where he received the Vincent Dalsimer Moot Court Award from U.S. Solicitor General Kenneth Starr. After graduation, he practiced with the Los Angeles firm of Engstrom Lipscomb & Lack, litigating aviation, toxic tort and catastrophic injury cases.

After returning to Kansas, Bretz was a litigation partner with Gilliland & Hayes, P.A., until starting Bretz Law Offices in 1997. The firm name was changed to Bretz & Young in 2013 when Melinda Young joined as a partner. Mr. Bretz currently handles all types of injury claims, including primarily automobile, workers' compensation, and premises liability matters.

Bretz is licensed in Kansas and California, by the U.S. District Courts in Kansas, California, Colorado, Oklahoma, Illinois and Nebraska, and by the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. He is a member of the Board of Governors for the Kansas Trial Lawyers Association, and formerly was the Medical Legal Editor for the Journal of the Kansas Trial Lawyers Association.

Bretz serves on the Board of Directors for United Way, the Training and Evaluation Center of Hutchinson (TECH), the Board of Governors for the Kansas Association for Justice (KAJ), and is a former board member for The American Red Cross, Interfaith Housing and for Big Brothers of Reno County, and is a Sunday School teacher.

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